Monday, March 26, 2007

It's 'For the people', of course

Look for food to become more expensive in Venezuela as that country moves toward Mugabeism:

Venezuela's government has seized more than 330,000 hectares (815,450 acres) of land to redistribute them under an agrarian reform programme.President Hugo Chavez said 16 farms - which he described as large and unproductive - had been expropriated. His government was moving towards a "collective property" policy as part of its "drive towards socialism", he said.

Critics say land reform has failed so far to revive the agricultural sector and end dependence on food imports.....In the past five years, almost 2m hectares have been seized after being declared unproductive or because the owners did not have the property documents in order.

Mr Chavez, who was re-elected with a large majority last year, has pledged to turn Venezuela into a socialist state.